Should I Take My Dog to the Office?

Taking your dog to work with you can be a great way to enrich your dog’s life and reduce your own stress. But it can be hard for some dogs to relax in a stimulating office environment and stressful for some people to care for a dog while also getting their work done. Here are a few things for you to think about to decide if you should bring your dog to the office or not.

1: Office Policy

You don’t want to mess around with your career. Make sure you know that your office is dog friendly and follow any office rules for taking your dog to work. You could have a coworker with a serious allergy, certain staff members may need a calm environment to focus or make calls, or your boss could be trying to set a more formal tone for the good of the business.

If it’s important to you to bring your dog to work, but your office won’t allow it, maybe it’s time to polish up your resume?

2: Your Dog’s Fit with Coworkers, Other Dogs, and the Environment

How is your dog with strangers?

Offices have lots of new people for your dog to meet, and your dog needs to strike a balance between being fearful and overly friendly. Consider how your dog would handle the following:

·         Being around lots of people but not being allowed to interact with them at all times

·         Vigorous petting, looming, hugging, or picking up by excited coworkers

·         Seeing someone carrying a bunch of boxes, in a uniform, with an umbrella, with a hat and beard

·         Having people walk into your office or cube while your dog is on their bed, chewing a bone, or playing with a toy

How is your dog with all kinds of other dogs?

Businesses often have high standards for the dogs who come to the office. Think about how your dog deals with the following:

·         Another dog being overly friendly, pushy, or playful

·         Greeting other dogs and spending they day near them without playing too much

·         Other dogs approaching them while cornered in your office or cube or while chewing a bone or playing with a toy

Will your dog enjoy your office environment?

Offices are stimulating environments for a dog. It can be hard for them to chill out with so much going on. Think about if your dog will do any of these things:

·         Chill by your desk and happily watch their surroundings

·         Get frustrated by their inability to explore the space or greet people and dogs

·         Bark at things they see or hear from the office

·         Relax enough to take a nap

3: The Logistics of the Workday

Here are a few of the nitty gritty details that you should think about.

How will you, your dog, and their stuff get to work?

Options include driving, getting a trailer or basket for your bike, taking a cab or Uber, or taking dog-friendly public transportation.

Your dog will need a bed or a few blankets, a water dish, toys, leash, poop bags, and potentially a crate or a baby gate. Can you leave that all at work, or do you need to lug it back and forth?

What’s your backup plan?

Especially in the beginning, you need a way to send your dog home if the day doesn’t go well. You might:

·         Take your dog home yourself

·         Find a nearby daycare or dog walker who can do last minute scheduling

·         Ask a roommate, friend, or spouse with flexibility to pick the dog up?

Where will your dog spend the day?

You should think about both the total area where your dog will hang out and a specific spot for them to relax.

When deciding how much space they can have to access to, check your office policy.

·         If you have a small limited traffic, you may want to let your dog roam free. This isn’t great in larger spaces where you can’t keep an eye on your dog to make sure they are safe and not causing trouble.

·         Most people will contain their dog to a smaller space.

·         Tether them to your desk by wrapping a leash around the desk leg

·         Put a baby gate in your office doorway

·         Use an exercise pen if you have an open office

A cozy spot to relax is essential. A comfy blanket is a minimum, but you might want to try a crate if your dog likes them. Setting it up in a corner or under your desk might help to separate your dog from the action and make it easier for them to relax.

What will your dog do all day?

You’ll need a variety of activities to occupy your dog throughout the day.

·         Puzzle toys and chew toys allow your dog to keep themselves busy for longer stretches, totaling up to 2 hours a day. Plan to have your dog eat most of their calories in the office to maximize the benefit.

·         Squeakers and fetch are usually no-no’s in offices. Most dogs aren’t toy-focused in a busy office anyways. But if your dog loves toys, give it a shot.

·         Most dogs are used to napping throughout the day. That’s why getting a good nap spot for them can really help. Exercising your dog before work will get them ready for naptime.

For the average dog, you can expect to keep them busy for about 30 minutes at a time without them interrupting your work. Will you find those breaks refreshing or frustrating?

Your dog will need outings to go potty and get exercise throughout the day.

·         How do potty breaks fit with your schedule?

·         Do you have time and a place to walk your dog?

·         If you have a young or active dog, how can your dog burn off energy during your lunch break?

Consider how you’ll handle these situations that might not be dog friendly:

·         Meetings and conference calls. Check that your team isn’t allergic or otherwise opposed and think about if your dog can stay calm. If not, find a coworker on a different team than you to watch your dog.

·         Lunch. It’s probably easiest to pack lunch, get delivery, or walk to a takeout place with a buddy.

·         The bathroom.  A fair number of dogs are freaked out in bathrooms.

4: Your Feelings on Taking Your Dog to Work

Having your dog at work can provide emotional support, keep you from getting into a funk, and reduce guilt over leaving your dog. If you are excited about these things and think your dog will get along well at your office, give it a shot!

On the other hand, if the environment is hard on your dog or your dog’s daily routine isn’t a good fit for your workday, it can be really stressful for both of you and affect your ability to do your job. If that’s the case, there are plenty of other ways you can increase your dog’s enrichment without this added burden.

Don’t feel pressured one way or the other. Think honestly about your dog as an individual and your specific work life to do what’s right for you.

Resources

Simple but helpful resource from RSPCA with good, specific advice for how to make it go smoothly

Well-balanced article on dogs in the workplace from TIME